Rearview Mirror - 1956

Feature Article from Hemmings Classic Car

The Plymouth Fury is introduced for the 1956 model year as a premium model designed to entice buyers into the showroom. At first, it is sold only as an "eggshell white" two-door hardtop with special gold trim, powered by a 303-cu.in. V-8 engine fitted with twin four-barrel carburetors.

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DOLLARS & CENTS

New house -- $12,000
Average annual income -- $4,500
One gallon of gas -- 23 cents
Average new car -- $2,000
Loaf of bread -- 18 cents
First-class stamp -- 3 cents
Six-pack of Rheingold beer -- $1.20
On June 29, President Eisenhower signs the Federal Aid Highway Act, creating the Interstate system and authorizing the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways over a 20-year period.
For 1956, Chevrolet gives its popular Bel Air lineup a "speedline" restyling, including a facelift for the grille, distinctive two-tone paint, and single housings that incorporate the taillamps, stop lamps and brake lamps. According to Chevrolet, "The hot one's even hotter!"
On April 19, actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
Elvis Presley makes waves on the U.S. rock and roll charts with his first single, "Heartbreak Hotel."
"In God We Trust" becomes the U.S. national motto.
On April 27, heavyweight boxing champ Rocky Marciano retires without ever having lost a professional match.
The U.S. Supreme Court declares laws requiring segregated buses to be unconstitutional.
"The King and I" debuts, rapidly becoming both a critical favorite and a hit among moviegoers; Yul Brynner wins a Best Actor Oscar for his role.
General Electric-Telechron introduces the first alarm clock to be equipped with a snooze function.
Egypt nationalizes the Suez Canal, sparking an international crisis.
The "smart foreign car flavor" of Nash's updated Metropolitan 1500 catches buyers' eyes, as does its new 90.9-cu.in. B-Series four-cylinder engine and houndstooth interior upholstery.
Jeep touts its new "Forward Control" four-wheel-drive model as combining "go-anywhere" maneuverability with "big-truck features."
On July 25, the Italian oceanliner Andrea Doria collides with the Swedish ship Stockholm in heavy fog and sinks off the coast of Nantucket Island; more than 50 people are killed.

This article originally appeared in the October, 2012 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.